Saturday, December 17, 2005

Lagniappe Linkage

"Hundreds of thousands of Gulf Coast families, hoping to rebuild their homes after the hurricanes using low-interest government loans, are facing high rejection rates and widespread delays at the federal agency that administers the disaster loan program.

The Small Business Administration, which runs the federal government's main disaster recovery program for both businesses and homeowners, has processed only a third of the 276,000 home loan applications it has received.

And it has rejected 82 percent of those it has reviewed, a higher percentage than in most previous disasters, saying that many would-be borrowers did not have incomes high enough, or credit ratings good enough, to qualify. The rejections came even though the Federal Emergency Management Agency has referred more than two million people, many of them with low incomes, to the S.B.A. to get the loans."

"He was always the social conscience, the message man. He's worked with kids and set up educational groups. He's already approached Austin High School. Austin is a different kind of town than New Orleans, which has been a dead-end street for a lot of people for a long time. You can be the best graduate in a New Orleans public high school and there's nothing for you."

"Gray Line New Orleans normally organizes trips through the city's historic districts as well as its swamps and spooky cemeteries, but its business has been severely curtailed by the hurricane. The company said the Katrina tour was born of frustration over the government's slow response to rebuilding."

16 comments:

spittin mad
said...

was wondering when someone would start the "Tour of the Doooooomed City" Nola.com said the rubberneckers were coming from as far away as arizona and north carolina during thanksgiving. Roll up your sleeves and stay awhile, why dontcha.

i dont lnow if it's a nation wide program, but in NJ we have something called "Section 8" housing. People with no money and no jobs, basicly, can buy a house for 1 dollar. Plus, they live on food stamps...

The majority of Camden, NJ is section 8 housing. There has to be some sort of set up for people who are willing to rebuild. An incentive. The government has the money to rebuild and it has been set a side for this disaster. They should go in and build a few high rise apartments and give the renters one year free rent to let them get on their feet, assuming they actually do so after their first year in there. If they fail to pick up rent payments after the first year, they are evicted, but by that time, I woul dhope that there are jobs and an economy to support themselves...

Clayton, Cute picture. The biggest problem in N.O. is the mayor and the city council.They can't agree on placement of FEMA trailers,and then people in certain areas don't want a TRAILER PARK in my backyard.Do I smell something here?

Section 8 housing was a disaster in new orleans pre katrina. The federal inspectors were non existent and the housing conditions atrocious. The last thing New Orleans needs is high rise public housing. That is a failed public policy. Fischer was demolished.

Clayton I would like to feature a post about you on my blog can you email me- or visit me at my Blog- Katrina is one of the issues I am covering on my blog- please stop and read my blog- Sept has Katrina posts, and Oct- there is an article about Ethel Freeman, browse , write when you can, to enigma4ever@earthlink.net, and the site is http://watergatesummer.blogspot.com/, ( it is a humble blog and I lack geek skills, I am more focused on the stories)....You Blog is beautiful...I am so glad that I stumbled here...

With all the spin on this, I can't understand how they make it sound like this is all a goo dthing(the article, that is). Yes, it's great that they can build a better school for the kids and start a program for better educatio, but they should't have waited for a disaster like Katrina to start working on it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10511929/site/newsweek/

About the section 8 housing, I was only suggesting they come up with some sort of housing setup to get these people out of the tents and into something with walls and a roof...I agree that section 8 housing can at times put you in places that don't have the best places to live, but anything is better than nothing at this point. And since there is nothing there at all, it would make sense to fix it this time around while they have the ability to do it right...

All the money set aside and not even a fraction of it has been used...

I think they should start building houses and apartments, even with no one ready to fill them, but they first need to secure those levys so this doesnt happen again.

It doesnt do any good to have a new house when it could be wiped out the following season...

There's a strange beauty in the picture that was damaged but not destroyed. Kind of like the soul of a person who has been through trauma such as you and your family have endured. I wish I had suggestions for you but I don't. I do have good wishes though. You are wonderful.Peace,Cie

As more and more time goes by, it's becoming more clear that economically speaking, Hurricane Katrina is going to turn out to have been the best thing that ever happened to many residents of New Orleans and the Gulf coast.

The latest payday in the Hurricane Katrina lottery --- federal money for uninsured homes. Those who didn't buy flood insurance, but their homes were otherwise flooded? No problem! The federal government is coming to the rescue. As long as the latest package of aid moving through Congress wins final approval, $11.5 billion of our money will be handed out to those "in need."

And who is leading the charge for this raid on the public treasury? A Republican. Senator Thad Cochran, in fact. The plan would provide up to $150,000 per home for flood damage. Imagine that on August 28th, you're sitting in your house in Mississippi or New Orleans. It's a complete dump. Hurricane Katrina comes and floods your house, destroying it. You were too dumb or broke to buy flood insurance. But now the federal government is going to buy you a new one!

These people had the option to buy flood insurance, and they passed. Their cars, fishing boats, cell phones, flat-screen televisions and other lifestyle purchases were more important. Now the taxpayers are going to bail them out.

Ray,I'd like to invite you down here. Then, maybe you could speak on something of which you know a little bit. Insurance will cover only a fraction of what it will take to rebuild. 1.1 million people, your fellow humans were displaced. A quarter million jobs lost just in Louisiana. Over 100,000 homes destroyed. You must have no idea really, of what has happened here. Most people just need a hand up. Sure, some will take advantage but, the biggest looters have been and will continue to be those guys with the political connections. You know who they are.So, come down and check it out. If you do, look me up. I won't take you to Bourbon Street but, you'll never forget what we do have to show you.

It is also important to know information about your location's flood risk to have an idea on how much water might get into your place. Info can be avail in floodplain management office or building department. Anyone can be a victim of financial difficulties because of the damages that brought about by flooding.